Saturday, January 12, 2013

A camera, some cushions and a shirt walked into a bar...

Finally, a camera again! Just a little one, but it IS red. So it takes photos faster ;-)

Sorry peops but it is so hot here, I cannot be arsed bothered getting all prettied up in my new makes for you. In the meantime, by means of apology, here are the other things going down:

Out in the Square is on 19 January - last year, I sold some cushions made of hunks and heroes fabrics, and could have sold twice as many. SO this year, I've MADE twice as many. In this higgledy piggeldey pile are 19 cushions. featuring cowboys, firemen, Hawaiian maidens, Frida Kahlo and many more. Lots of fun. And if they don't all sell, I will unstuff the remainder and pack them away for next year.

Aren't they a riot of colour!

Next up is the sensory experience of MrC's going-to-be-shirt. We found the green, ochre and black fabric in my fat quarter box, a perfect contrast. It looks a bit tooo black in this photo, but in real life, it does an excellent job of balancing this busy pattern and adding a touch of the masculine to it.

A longer shot taking in the pattern.
Seeing - thick lines, one size only, seam allowance marked in, takes me straight back to the first years of my sewing - WELL before this pattern was ever printed. Opening up this pattern and spreading it out was such a thrill!
Hearing - the instruction papers are so crisp, they make a wondrous rustle. The tissue rustles too, in a much deeper, more mature way than the young new patterns being born these days.

Smelling - Oh the smell! The dry, cuminy spicy scent of old patterns is one of my favourite smells. It smells of possibilities, like books do. things on paper are so exciting because they are only the beginning of the experience to come - the pattern yet to be made is like the story yet to be read.

Touch - the tissue is thicker, the paper thinner than new patterns. It is far easier to handle as it settles quickly, not floating all over the place like modern tissue.

Taste - Aha! I am not nibbling on it to find out! Instead I will refer to taste in the sense of style, not flavour. This pattern is ornery, and yet it has the prettiest rose embroider transfer that I may have to try somewhere some time. With piping in the dark as well as cuff and collar linings, I think it will rock any party.

7 comments:

I am so glad you are making a men's shirt in something other than a stripe or checked fabric - makes me feel a little safer with the fabric choices I am about to make up for my teenage son (both his choice and very similar to yours!)Love your comfy cushions - particularly the look of the fireman one...

Of course, you're the maximalist. I inherited my balancist tendencies from father, and if I tried to make him a shirt like that, he'd think it was for me, and maybe tell me it was too much.But I digress.Good luck with selling the cushions, and good luck with the shirt! I loved your sensory description of the pattern.